Knife handle construction



Nov. 14, 1950 SLAVSKY ETAL 2,529,618

KNIFE HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 30, 1948 INVENTORS.

Robe/er J. suns/m BY JOHN R. StAVS/(K flTT RNEK Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES rATsNT orrics KNIFE HANDLE CONSTRUCTION Robert J. Slavsky and John R. Slavsky, Detroit,

Mich., assignorsto Shaw and Slavsky, 1110., Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application June 30, 1948, Serial No. 36,203

7 Claims. '1

The present invention pertains to a knifehandle designed primaril for household knives although not limited thereto. The handle is of the type into which the knife blade is inserted. Ordinarily the handle is in two parts, with one part on each side of the stem of the blade, and the two parts fastened together by rivets or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a similar handle made in one part and having a lengthwise slot that receives the stem of the blade. This construction increases the durability of the handle, and the same result is enhanced by other details of construction that will presently be pointed out.

A knife handle of the split section type is subject to contamination by matter that enters the crevices between the sections and around the exposed rivets. Also, moisture enters the same crevices and eventually results in the loosening or falling apart of the handle.

In this connection, another object of the invention is to provide a handle construction in which no such crevices exist, so that the handle remains perfectly sanitary and has a life as long as the blade itself.

In the accomplishment of these objects, the handle is originally a block of wood of conventional shape with a slot cut from one end for insertion of the stem of the blade. The slot extends from edge to edge of the handle and is unfilled along the edges when the blade has been inserted, although these voids are subsequently filled. The handle is formed with one or more grooves peripherally or around its girth and is drilled from side to side at the grooves. Each of the holes formed is counterbored to receive a double headed rivet which also secures the stem of the blade to the handle. The extremities of the rivets lie substantially flush with the bottoms of the grooves and consequently are spaced inward from the surfaces of the handle block. A low melting metal such as lead is now poured into the grooves and into the voids in the slot at the edges of the stem or tang of the blade. The metal is finished off flush with the surfaces of the handle, and this may be done in a suitable mold which also forms a bolster of cast metal at the forward end of the handle.

The invention is fully disclosed by Way of ex- 7 Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the blade and rivets inserted; I v

Figure 5 is a section on the'line 55 of Figure 4; i

Figure 6 is a detail elevation after pouring of the metal;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 'l.1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 6, and

Figure 9 is a partial side elevation of a modification.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawings is shown a metal knife blade 1 having a stem or tang 2 which is somewhat narrower than the handle into which it is to be inserted, as'will presently appear. The handle consists of a block or body 3 of conventional shape and preferably consists of wood although other suitable materials may be employed. It is to be' noted however that the handle is in one piece as, distinguished from the conventional handle of two pieces laid on opposite sides of the tang. From the forward end of the handle is cut a central slot 4 extending about half way down the handle and through the edges of the handle. The tang 2- is received snugly in the slot and is somewhat shorter than the slot to leave a space 5 at thebottom of the slot. Also, since the tang is narrower than the handle as previously set forth, there remains a longitudinal space 6 at each edge of the tang for a purpose that will presently be described.

The handle is also formed with one or more peripheral grooves 1 around its girth and crossing the slot ll. Holes 8 are drilled from side to side of the handle across the center of each groove to coincide with similar holes 9 previously formed in the tang 2. Each hole is counterbored at H3 at each end.

Headed rivets H are then inserted in the respective holes and then headed at L? at the remaining ends in such manner that both heads I2 and I 3 lie in the counterbores and substantially flush with the bottoms of the grooves 1. A low melting metal is next poured to fill all the recesses in the handle, namely, the space 5, the voids 6 of the slot 2, the grooves I and the counterbores I0. Whatever crevices existed around the rivets and between the tang and handle are also filled. Consequently, it is not necessary to fit the several parts with a high degree of accuracy, and considerable labor and expense are spared in this way.

The upper or forward end of the handle is bevelled at the sides and edges as indicated by the numerals l4 and [5 respectively. The casting of the metal may be done in a mold which also 'forms a bolster IS on the bevelled surfaces. Whatever the process or apparatus, the cast metal is finished ofi flush with the surfaces of the handle.

As distinguished from the conventional split handle held together only by rivets, the handle herein described does not permit the entrance of moisture which eventually corrodes the metal and causes looseness in the handle construction. The poured metal forms a perfect seal over the heads of the rivets and along the edges of the tang 2. The rivets are thereby backed and strengthened, and the tang is similarl reinforced along both edges at the bottom. The metal in the grooves I is in the form of bands I! that reinforce the handle body 3 around its longitudinal slot 4. Similarly the metal at the edges of the tang 2 is in the nature of strips I8 which are tied to the bands I! to brace the blade against lateral shifting. The several portions of the poured metal, including the bands II, the strips 18 and the bolster l5, fill all the surface crevices in the handle body and thereby prevent the penetration of particles and dissolved matter which would otherwise accumulate and decay and bring about an unsanitary condition. Deterioration of the handle is another result of the accumulation of matter therein. It is now evident that the life of the handle is considerably prolonged by the described construction which eliminates the causes of looseness and deterioration.

In the paring knife shown in Figure 9, the handle 20 receives the blade 2| in the manner described, and a similar means is used for securing the handle. In knives smaller than a meat knife, a single cast band 22 is sufficient. The enlarged circular portion 23 below the band covers the rivet and is joined to the band by a strip 24 of cast metal. The details of this construction are otherwise similar to the details of the larger knife body.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as indicated by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a peripheral groove crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot, a separate rivet passed through said body and tang, said groove communicating with the ends of said rivet, and cast metal filling said groove and covering said rivet.

2. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a peripheral groove crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot and spaced from the edges of said body a separate rivet passed through said body and tang at said groove and cast metal filling said groove and the remainder of said slot and covering said rivet.

3. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a peripheral groove crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot a rivet passed through said body and tang at said groove and cast metal filling said groove and covering said rivet.

4. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a peripheral groove crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot, a rivet passed through said body and tang at said groove, said rivet having a head at each end lying substantially flush with the bottom of said groove, and cast metal filling said groove and covering the rivet heads.

5. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a peripheral groove crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot and spaced from the edges of said body a rivet passed through said body and tang at said groove, said rivet having a head at each end lying substantially flush with the bottom of said groove, and cast metal filling said groove and the remainder of said slot and covering the rivet heads.

6. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a plurality of peripheral grooves crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot, separate rivets passed through said body and tang at said grooves and cast metal filling said grooves and covering said rivets.

7. In a knife, a handle body comprised of one piece and having a longitudinal slot cut from one end and from edge to edge thereof, said body having also a plurality of peripheral grooves crossing the edges of said slot, a tang in said slot, rivets passed through said body and tang at said grooves, said rivets having a head at each end lying substantially fiush with the bottoms of said grooves, and cast metal filling said grooves and covering the rivet heads.

ROBERT J. SLAVSKY. JOHN R. SLAVSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 749,438 Harrington Jan. 12, 1904 2,335,872 Mitchell Dec. 7, 1943 

